Friday, February 18, 2011

Keeping Track of Attendance

"Can you sign permission slips?"

Normally, the answer is no, but today they were having a special assembly second period only for students who had permission. Since I was the teacher for the day, I figured I was authorized to give that permission. (And I was so thrilled that I didn't have to go!)

It was selfish on my part. This was a two-day assignment, so I had already dealt with second period, and it wasn't good. They were watching a movie. I spent much of class time on top of talking students. I figured with a few of them out of the room, I might have a better chance at keeping the class quiet. It turned out I was right.

During the passing period, a few other students came in with their permission slips. I signed all of them. I didn't really keep track. I didn't really need to. When I took roll for second period, I marked them all absent.

I sort of enjoy taking attendance. It's on the computer. They give us subs a temporary password to access the system. I click on the absent button, and poof, absent. I click on submit, and I'm done.

During the next class, after submitting attendance, I went back into second period's roll just to see. Of the nine I had marked absent, four of those "absents" had been replaced with "verified school activity". I guess their permission slips cleared. Then the period after that, the number of "verified school activity" went up to six.

Technology is so cool! It's a little game I play. I like to check back on previous classes to see if the students' absences are verified. Many times, a student I marked absent in first period will later show up as "illness". And later in the day, I'll find that I don't have to mark some students absent as the system will already show them as absent.

Yeah, I'm way too enamored of the attendance taking procedure.

11 comments:

  1. Hiya, buddy crusader! I'm making the rounds today and checking out your blog. Nice to meet you, and Happy Friday! :)

    Hey, your blogroll description said you write fantasy with sci-fi elements; sounds cool. I think I've heard the term "science fantasy" used to describe a genre like that. Or maybe science fantasy is sci-fi with elements of fantasy, just the opposite. LOL

    Artzicarol Ramblings

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  2. Hey there fellow Crusader, stopping by to say hello and to follow you.

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  3. I think technology in the classroom is cool too. At least this way is better than the old-fashioned pencil on paper routine I grew up with. More efficient, I meant to say.

    I'm in your Crusader group stopping by to say "hi!"

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  4. We all have our little things that we do to just get through the day. :)

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  5. Hi, fellow crusader! I signed so many hall passes with my initials "ZSS" in my 25 years that they ceased to look like I thought they did. One day a child looked at me with tears in her eyes and asked, "Why are you sending me to ISS?" LOL Talk about procedure. ; )

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  6. I don't get to do on-line attendance. When I run a class, I've had to hand write it and submit to the office. Lucky you!

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  7. That's pretty nifty. I'd be amused by it too. I love learning new fun little things that technology can do. :-)

    <3 Gina Blechman (fellow crusader)

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  8. Hi Liz,
    Just wanted to drop by and let you know that I'll have an award for you on my blog tomorrow. Love your blog.

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  9. I didn't realize it was all computerized. I'm a bit slow. At our school, the fifth graders pick up the attendance sheets from each class, then deliver them to the office. I guess the enter them in the office. Who knew?

    I'm a fellow crusader stopping to say hi!

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  10. Had to stop by fellow teacher and Crusader. I am in elementary school but have done the substitute thing and it is not easy. A bit of a Crusade I might say. Drop on by and visit me. YOur story reminds me of the never-ending lunch count I took one day in a kindergarten class. A memory to share some time soon.

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